What follows is Part Three in a series.
You can read part one here and part two here.
There is a third part of my story that I haven’t yet told. It is the journey I began in January of this year with Faithwalking. See, believing I am an overcomer, and seeing the lies I had believed most of my life, was just the beginning of my journey. Last October, in the week following the revelation God gave me about the lies I had believed, I was having a rough week. My contract work had dried up and I was anxious about what was next. I have learned, in times like this that it is better for me to be around people, so I planned my week out accordingly, but Monday, I had no plans. I decided to go to Kosmos and journal. I had just finished getting everything down when Pastor Jerry and his wife came in. They greeted me and I expected them to go on up to the offices, but Gail decided to sit down and catch up with me. I believe that meeting was a Divine Appointment because I shared a little bit of what was going on with me and Gail shared some of her story and told me about Faithwalking. Later in the year, Gail told me about it again and invited me to go on a retreat, and because she had already planted a seed, I was ready.
The retreat took place at the end of January. I can’t begin to describe all that took place that weekend, but it was the beginning of a major change. I shared some things with my small group that I had never shared with anyone and I made some friends that I will never forget.
Following the retreat, we were given the opportunity to go on to a 201 class which lasted 24 weeks. Everyone that signed up met together every other week. We had homework every week and met with a small group and a coach every week. During these months, I began to learn and understand how and why I show up in life the way I do. I began to see how I have built invisible barriers to keep everyone out and how I distance myself from people whenever my anxiety rises.
Those who walked with me got to see the change in me first hand. My eyes began to sparkle, my confidence has grown and my countenance has changed significantly. I am learning to recognize and manage my anxiety. I still have work to do, but I also know and believe that there is no condemnation in Christ. I have discovered that I have a story to tell and a voice and I love to tell the story of what God has done, and is doing in me.
I jumped at the chance to go through the leadership course in order to be a coach. I’ve also been given the opportunity to become a presenter at other 101 retreats. I gave my first presentation this past weekend. I am thrilled to be able to give back in this way. The truth is that even though the material is the same, God continues to speak to me in new ways each time I am part of a retreat. I shouldn’t be surprised, at this point, but I always am at how God speaks when we create space for Him to do so. We are all broken and in need of healing. God’s heart and character is to do just that—to heal, reconcile, and restore.
My journey isn’t over yet. God is still teaching, speaking, healing and changing me. I am a life being transformed.
Faithwalking is creating a community of disciples of Jesus who are being personally transformed and who are catalysts, mobilizing Christians to become the functioning body of Christ in their neighborhoods, workplaces and 3rd places – to serve the poor, the marginalized, and those in need; to work for the common good, to restore individuals, social systems, communities and nations to God’s design.